Automatic car-brake



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

P. HANSON. AUTOMATIC OAR BRAKE.

No. 324,375. Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

N4 PETERS, Phnmuwgm han Washin mn. D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v P. HANSON.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

No. 324,375. Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

2 I 3 a 5 l I23. 8

H minemlea: I Int enter a, 26%M5 m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL HANSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,375, dated August 18, 1885.

Application filed January 8, 1885. (No model.)

the rate of motion of the train is slackened.

The invention consists, generally, in connecting the sliding draw-bar of the car with the brake-rod, or like device, for operating the usual brake mechanism, by means of an oscillating crank-arm and a cam-lever located between said draw-bar and brake-rod, respectively, and coacting therewith to effect the setting of the brakes by the movement of the draw-bar.

The invention also provides for disconnecting the parts in such wise that the motion of the draw-bar is no longer transmitted to the brake mechanism proper, by which expedient the brakes cease to be set automatically, although still under control through the usual winding-post and chains.

The invention further consists in certain improvements in details of structure, the nature of all of which will be fully set forth in description and bethereafter distinctly pointed out in the claims following.

' In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, like letters of reference denote like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a side elevation (the bottom of the car in section) showing the draw -bar, crank-arm,cam-lever, brake-rod, and adjuncts in set position. Fig. 2 is a plan view (partly in section) with the bottom of the car removed, exhibiting the draw-bar, &c., in relation as in Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are transverse sections on lines w w, 3/ y, and z z, Figsel and 2, respectively. Fig. ,6 is a perspective view of the crank-arm detached; Fig. 7, a general view inside elevation (partly in section) of the car having the brake mechanism attached thereto; Fig. 8, a reverse plan view of the car, Fig. 7.

The draw-bar A, of usual construction for linking adjacent cars together, is mounted centrally beneath the main framework of the car, and is supported near its front end upon the roller a, while near its back end, which is recessed, said bar encompasses and is supported upon the sliding plates a a. The roller a journals upon the strap-iron 64 secured, as shown, to the longitudinal beams, and serves to reduce the frictional contact of the heavy draw-bar, so that said bar may move back and forth with greater facility. The sliding plates a a are sustained by and move in ways formed in the parallel guides at, attached to the car-beams. A heavy coil-spring,a ,mounted within the recess of the draw-bar A, and bearing against the slide-plates a a, serves normally to keep said plates apart at the extreme ends of the ways, in which position the draw-bar will stand at rest. If, however, the draw-bar be either pulled outward or thrust inward, the plate a or a, as the case may be, next against the abutting face of the recess in the bar, will be advanced in the ways, compressing the spring a which latter will return said plate, together with the bar, to position, when the pull or thrust (sufficient to overcome the spring tension) is no longer exerted.

J ournaled, as shown, to one of the longitudinal car-beams is the oscillating crank-arm B, having the slotted end 1), adapted to engage with a pin, 12 or the like, projecting from the draw-bar A. Theopposite end of thecrankarm B conveniently, by the stud b, engages the cam-like face of a bifurcated pendentlever, G, which lever is pivotally sustained, as at c, from the radiusbar D. Said radius-bar is preferably recessed, as shown, to securely reposes) as a link or connection to join them together.

The winding-post 0 may he stepped, if desired, in the strap-iron a, as shown, while the turn-buckle 0 having suitable janrnut, is designed to adjust the length of the divided brake'rod a in operative relation to the camlever G and to the brake mechanism. The crank end of radius-bar D is connected by link at with the eccentric hand-lever d, which looks at will into the arc-rack dflmounted upon the car platlbrm or roof, or other convenient place. \Vhen the car is at rest, no pull or thrust being exerted on the draw-bar A, the parts stand in normal position, as indicated by full lines, Figs. 1 and 2. At this juncture the tension of draw-bar spring a is exerted, through stud If 01' the draw-bar, the erankarm B, cam-lever (l, and brake-rod 0 to slightly set the brakes, the turn-buckle being capable of adjustment to effect such result. If the train starts ahead, the drawbar A is pulled out, oscillating the crank-arm B, so that the stud 1/ thereof is turned downward and away from the canrface of lever 0, thus slackening the strain on the brakerod c and releasing the brakes.

It is obvious that the power necessary to relieve the brakes is merely that which will overcome the tension of spring a in pulling upon the draw-bar A. On suddenly arresting the speed of the train, the drawbar A first returns to normal position, allowing the spring a? to act again in setting the brakes by contact of stud b with canrlever C. If the check to the-movement of the train still continues, the draw-bar is forced inward beyond the normal, causing the stud b to ride farther up the incline of cam-lever O, and thus setting the brakes tighter and tighter. Should a retrograde movement of the train be finally established, the draw-bar A will be at the extreme of its inward thrust, so far oscillating the crank-arm B that the stud I) will rise away from canrlever C, and the brakes be released precisely as when the train was advancing. On slowing up the backward movement, the spring a thrusts the draw-bar forward toward the normal, reversely oscillating the crankarm B, and forcing the stud b thereof to ride down against the canrface of lever 0, setting the brakes as before, and finally bringing the train at rest. Vhether the train i proceeds backward or forward, it thus appears that whenever the rate of motion is slackened the tension of draw-bar spring a comes into play to effect the setting of the brakes, while in checking the advance movement (which is most frequent) the action of the spring is further supplemented by the incline given to the cam-face of lever O.

In making up trains or in taking a flying switch, and at other times, it becomes desirable to have the cars under control. of the brakeman stationed at the ordinary windingpost, so that the brakes for each car may be separately set or released, as desired. Provision for this appears in the construction of the radius-bar D, to which the cam-lever C is pivoted. By throwing the eccentric lever s over from its position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, the link .9 thereof raises the crank-arm of the radius-bar, rotating the latter, and thereby lifting the cam-lever C out and away from contact with stud b of the erankarm B. The lever C is accordingly disconnected from the automatic action. of the draw bar, and yet, through the winding-post c, it controls the brake-rod a to set or release the brakes as usual. It will be noted that the mere setting of the brakes can be effected as well whether the lever O is in or out of engagement with the pin b of the automatic mechanism, for when thus engaged the shortening of the brake-chain 0 about the winding-post 0 draws the lever 0 forward and away from the pin I), thus setting the brakes even tighter than the automatic movement of the draw-bar alone would accomplish; but if the purpose is to wholly release the brakes, this cannot be done ordinarily while the lever O is within the path of the pin 1), since said pin contacts with and arrests the lever before the releaseisfnl ly effected; hence it is that the provision for diseonmeeting the lever C from automatic control is more particularly with a view to entire freedom in releasing the brakes when this becomes desirable.

By the construction of parts detailed it is evident that the brakes of the train are capable of being set automatically either during the forward or backward movement, and that at will any one or more of the cars may be released from the automatic action and be controlled wholly by the brakeman in. the ordinary way. If the train should break apart on a downgrade, the draw-bar of the front carin the detached section would be pulled inward by action of its springs, setting the brakes of the car and diminishing its speed. The advance of the remaining cars being thus obstructed,these will run together, releasing the draw-bars from strain, which thereupon move inward, setting the brakes for each car. If a break should occur on an upgrade, the brakeman in the caboose or rear car, either before or after disengaging the lever C from the automatic system, could operate the windingpost and set the brakes as usual. Immediately the other cars would gain in speed as compared with the car under cheek, and, running together, would throw on the brakes of each car automatically, as explained.

It is manifest that the details of structure hereinbefore set forth may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the draw-bar and with the brake mechanism proper, of the crank-ar1n and the cam-lever co-operating with each other and with said bar and mechanism, respectively, to control automatically the setting of the brakes, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the spring drawbar having roller-bearing, of the cam-lever, the crank-arm intermediate said bar and lever and engaging the same, and the brake-rod and beam,'subst antially as described.

3. The combination, with the winding-post and chain and with the brake-rod, of a pivoted lever connecting the same, said lever being directly and detachably joined to the automatic mechanism for setting the brakes by movement of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the spring drawbar having pin 1), of the crank-arm B, having slotted end I) to engage said pin, the cam-lever O,bearing against a stud of the crank-arm B, the brake-rod c", and brake-beam, substantially as described;

PAUL HANSON.

itnesses:

GEO. P. FISHER, J r., JAMES H. PEIRCE. 

